Apple and Samsung are taking timeout in their fierce legal battle over smartphone and tablet patents to pay their last respect to the late Apple co-founder and technology icon Steve Jobs.

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook has invited Samsung Electronics Co. COO Jay Y. Lee to attend the Sunday memorial service for Jobs, who died on Oct. 5 from pancreatic cancer complications. Lee, who is reportedly close to both Cook and Jobs, will attend the private affair at Stanford University's campus.

The top officials of Apple and Samsung share good relations as both technology companies are business partners. Samsung, the world's second-largest handset manufacturer, is the supplier of chips and panels to Apple.

However, Apple has sued Samsung for allegedly copying the design of iPhone and iPad while the Korean company has countersued claiming that Apple has copied its patented mobile technology. So far, Apple is winning the legal row that started April by winning court orders blocking the sale of Samsung's smartphones and tablets in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and the U.S.

The two companies are facing each other in about 20 lawsuits in a dozen countries. In its countersuits, Samsung is also seeking to block the sale of iPhones and iPads.